This year, I have really tried to cut down on the amount of "stuff" that we have around the house and to make sure that the things we do have here are useful. I have also recently been diagnosed with severe dust mite allergy (among other allergies SIGH) and so I really don't want to have little extra things around just to look "cute" (and collect dust.)
And in my own little Simple family, my children, while, still not even teenagers, are growing up WAY too fast (they are 11, almost 9, and 6.) They don't play with "toys" per se much, and the ones that they do are treasures that have been with us for many years, and I don't feel like I need to add to them.
Add to that, I want (well, and let's be honest, kind of need) to make the children gifts. Out in the blogosphere and the web, it seems like many homemade gifts for children are for the younger set. I keep thinking, but I can't seem to come up with any great ideas. Well, I am sewing each of them something, but so far, that is the extent of my ideas. I am also limited by the time I have left until Christmas. I am very busy right now and then I'll be on vacation from November 20th - 28th, so realistically, I only have from November 29th - December 23rd.
There is one good thing - I've cleared out most of the "schoolroom." We have a bedroom in this house that just can't seem to stay the same for longer than a year. It is a really small bedroom - 10' x 9'. Maybe. When we moved in, it was uh, a storage room, I think. Then it was an office, then it was Youngest and my bedroom when he was a baby, then it was an office, then it was a guest room, then it was the school room, and now, I'm making it into a guest room/studio. There will still be some bookcases with school materials because I just don't have another place to store them, but you don't walk in the room and think "schoolroom" anymore. Why is this a good thing? Well, I finally will be able to have a place to set up my sewing machine so that it can be out all the time. I picked up a small desk and a comfy chair on wheels during my "curb shopping" adventures. I need to pick up and install some shelving like this to put my fabric, thread, patterns, etc. above the desk. And now that I have a dedicated space for sewing, I can go in there and lock the door and create things instead of having to do it in the wee hours of the morning on the dining room table.
So do any of you have any great homemade gift ideas for olderish children? FYI, I crochet and sew. I have basic woodworking tools like hammer, saw, screwdriver, etc. and I have basic woodworking skills. I wouldn't say that I can draw or paint, etc., at least not well.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Preserving - My Plan for 2011
Now, with my plan, you have to keep in mind that the only freezer I have is the freezer over my fridge. I'd love to get a deep freeze, and it is tentatively in the budget for next Spring, but right now, I'm going to go ahead and plan on NOT having a separate freezer. So most of my preserving will be canned, although I will do a little dehydrating too.
================
6 quarts of apple pie filling
12 half pints apple butter
52 quarts of applesauce
4 #10 cans of dried apples
24 half pints of strawberry jam
6 pints of strawberry syrup
6 gallon bags of strawberries
24 quarts of tomato sauce
12 pints of salsa
12 pints of diced tomatoes
24 half pints of peach jam
6 pints of peach syrup
1 #10 of dried peaches
12 pints of pickles
12 pints of pickle relish
52 pints of green beans
52 pints of sweet corn
12 pints of peas
12 pints of chick peas
12 pints of kidney beans
12 pints of black beans
12 pints of navy beans
Also dehydrating oregano, basil, parsley, onion.
And on a related note, I will be storing for food storage wheat, sugar, honey, oats, and pasta.
There are only a few of problems with my plan - finding the time to do all of that preserving, finding the money to buy all those jars, and finding room to store all of it. Minor problems, really.
But seriously, this is my best case scenario for preserving. Chances are good that this will be an overambitious plan, but it gives me something to shoot for.
================
6 quarts of apple pie filling
12 half pints apple butter
52 quarts of applesauce
4 #10 cans of dried apples
24 half pints of strawberry jam
6 pints of strawberry syrup
6 gallon bags of strawberries
24 quarts of tomato sauce
12 pints of salsa
12 pints of diced tomatoes
24 half pints of peach jam
6 pints of peach syrup
1 #10 of dried peaches
12 pints of pickles
12 pints of pickle relish
52 pints of green beans
52 pints of sweet corn
12 pints of peas
12 pints of chick peas
12 pints of kidney beans
12 pints of black beans
12 pints of navy beans
Also dehydrating oregano, basil, parsley, onion.
And on a related note, I will be storing for food storage wheat, sugar, honey, oats, and pasta.
There are only a few of problems with my plan - finding the time to do all of that preserving, finding the money to buy all those jars, and finding room to store all of it. Minor problems, really.
But seriously, this is my best case scenario for preserving. Chances are good that this will be an overambitious plan, but it gives me something to shoot for.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Daybook: November 12th
Outside My Window... Cooler than it has been this week, but still nice. It was in the 70s on Wednesday and Thursday. Have to love that in mid November.
I am thinking... about Vacation. We are going for vacation from November 20th through the 28th. To some place warm. Well, it is pretty warm here right now, but this place is usually warm all the time.
I am thankful for... Veterans and the fact that we have a house to live in, enough clothes to wear, and enough food to eat. I put the flag out yesterday for Veterans' Day and we took clothes to the thrift store and food to the food pantry to celebrate Martinmas. It made me feel blessed.
From the learning rooms... The preschoolers worked on the color brown, the number 3, the triangle shape, the letter H, and squirrels. Jelly Bean is learning about 9s in times tables, the Tang dynasty, Montana, and reading a book called Word after Word after Word.
From the kitchen... I made more apple sauce and apple butter, and I'm making apple pie filling and dried apples this weekend. And then I'm done with apples for the year.
I am going... nowhere today. Between myself and the three kids, I feel like lately all we ever do is go to the dentist or the doctor, but nobody has any appointments today.
I am reading... Annie's Garden Journal. I don't love it, but it has been a quick read so far. It is about a woman who lives in California who works in Film, and gardens mostly unsuccessfully, but it is also about her relationship with her dysfunctional family and her relationship with her boyfriend/fiance. She wrote a book after this about gardening and motherhood that I think I would enjoy more. Maybe I'll read that next.
I am hoping... that my children will miraculously start listening and obeying me All The Time. Hey, I didn't say that I was hoping for anything realistic.
I am hearing... the clock tick and noticing that there are still clocks that I haven't changed.
Around the house... I've been doing dishes by hand for a couple weeks because our dishwasher died. I'm finding that I actually enjoy it. It is relaxing, and the dishes are clean, almost all time, instead of piled up in the sink or on the counter.
One of my favorite things... Sleeping. I used to hate to sleep when I was in my 20s. And then I had kids and never got any. And now, everybody sleeps through the night and I can generally get at least 6 hours. Heaven.
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week ... Well, it is a pretty light weekend. We are going to the Festival of Trees and then probably to my friends' farm. We've had a bunch of busy ones, so I'm looking forward to having some time to just hang out.
I am thinking... about Vacation. We are going for vacation from November 20th through the 28th. To some place warm. Well, it is pretty warm here right now, but this place is usually warm all the time.
I am thankful for... Veterans and the fact that we have a house to live in, enough clothes to wear, and enough food to eat. I put the flag out yesterday for Veterans' Day and we took clothes to the thrift store and food to the food pantry to celebrate Martinmas. It made me feel blessed.
From the learning rooms... The preschoolers worked on the color brown, the number 3, the triangle shape, the letter H, and squirrels. Jelly Bean is learning about 9s in times tables, the Tang dynasty, Montana, and reading a book called Word after Word after Word.
From the kitchen... I made more apple sauce and apple butter, and I'm making apple pie filling and dried apples this weekend. And then I'm done with apples for the year.
I am going... nowhere today. Between myself and the three kids, I feel like lately all we ever do is go to the dentist or the doctor, but nobody has any appointments today.
I am reading... Annie's Garden Journal. I don't love it, but it has been a quick read so far. It is about a woman who lives in California who works in Film, and gardens mostly unsuccessfully, but it is also about her relationship with her dysfunctional family and her relationship with her boyfriend/fiance. She wrote a book after this about gardening and motherhood that I think I would enjoy more. Maybe I'll read that next.
I am hoping... that my children will miraculously start listening and obeying me All The Time. Hey, I didn't say that I was hoping for anything realistic.
I am hearing... the clock tick and noticing that there are still clocks that I haven't changed.
Around the house... I've been doing dishes by hand for a couple weeks because our dishwasher died. I'm finding that I actually enjoy it. It is relaxing, and the dishes are clean, almost all time, instead of piled up in the sink or on the counter.
One of my favorite things... Sleeping. I used to hate to sleep when I was in my 20s. And then I had kids and never got any. And now, everybody sleeps through the night and I can generally get at least 6 hours. Heaven.
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week ... Well, it is a pretty light weekend. We are going to the Festival of Trees and then probably to my friends' farm. We've had a bunch of busy ones, so I'm looking forward to having some time to just hang out.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Gardening - My Plan for 2011, Part 1
Now that the 2010 garden is officially put to bed, I feel like posting about the 2011 garden. This post is going to be more of an overview. I'll post more specifics/pics, etc. as it gets closer to next Spring.
(Oh, and I just have to mention, while I love Spring and planting the garden, and things beginning again, isn't Fall wonderful too? )
I've been gardening, seriously, for 3 years now. Well, as an adult anyway. My parents had a garden when I was a child/teenager, and I helped with that (and ate lots of food from it too LOL)
My first year, the garden was very small. It was just two small beds - one with herbs, and one with zucchini squash. My second year, last year, I had the two beds at home, and then I shared a 15' x 20' plot with my sister. We grew tomatoes, onions, beans, broccoli, and cauliflower. But I didn't know much about gardening, for better or for worse. Basically, I just planted things, and they grew. Well, there were the peas that got washed out last year, but that was it.
This year, I did a lot of reading about gardening. TONS. All the reading, of course, for better or worse, was after I planted the garden this year. I still had the two beds at home for herbs and zucchini. When I planted the garden at the plot in early Spring, I still planned on gardening with my sister. Then, she went and MOVED, LOL, but I was still planning on sharing with someone. The woman came out once, and we planned on what we were going to plant, and I bought everything that we had decided on, and then I never saw her again. So I ended up planting things a little differently than if I had been doing it on my own, but still, I didn't really have a real "plan." I grew tomatoes, beans, eggplant, peppers, and broccoli. I planted, but failed at actually growing, sweet potatoes, zucchini, corn, and peas (they are conspiring against me, I think). Oh, I also failed to get any beans after the first planting. I planned to plant spinach as a fall crop, but I didn't do that either.
I have a pretty ambitious plan for 2011- I'll be expanding at home from 2 beds to 6 beds. I would have 7, but one of the original beds has now become the compost pile. (I'm so proud of myself for having a compost pile. I was all worried that it was going to be complicated, and it is, uh, NOT. LOL) There will be a bed for cooking herbs, and two beds in the front for medicinal herbs (these are already dug, but they have perennials & shrubs right now), a bed for strawberries, and two beds for salad stuff - spinach, chard, carrots, lettuce, greens, etc.) In addition to the beds, I will also be planting two dwarf pear trees and if I can figure out how to do it, grapes. I won't see strawberries this in 2011, and I won't see pears or grapes for at least a few years, but I feel like I want to plant anyway.
For the garden plot, I'm planning tomatoes (of course), beans, cucumbers, peas, broccoli, summer and winter squash, potatoes, and cantaloupe and honeydew melon. I think that is it. Seems like there is something else. But those are the major crops anyway.
Oh, and I'm planning on paying attention to you know, frost dates, and when plants should be planted in my zone, and such this year.
I still plan on buying apples and peaches at farmers market/local orchards, as well as strawberries next year (and I will probably still go after that for one big picking. My goal next year is to can at least 24 half pints of jam, 6 pints of syrup, as well as have a bunch to freeze, and enough to make at least one or two strawberry pies. ).
How about you? What are your garden plans for next year??
(Oh, and I just have to mention, while I love Spring and planting the garden, and things beginning again, isn't Fall wonderful too? )
I've been gardening, seriously, for 3 years now. Well, as an adult anyway. My parents had a garden when I was a child/teenager, and I helped with that (and ate lots of food from it too LOL)
My first year, the garden was very small. It was just two small beds - one with herbs, and one with zucchini squash. My second year, last year, I had the two beds at home, and then I shared a 15' x 20' plot with my sister. We grew tomatoes, onions, beans, broccoli, and cauliflower. But I didn't know much about gardening, for better or for worse. Basically, I just planted things, and they grew. Well, there were the peas that got washed out last year, but that was it.
This year, I did a lot of reading about gardening. TONS. All the reading, of course, for better or worse, was after I planted the garden this year. I still had the two beds at home for herbs and zucchini. When I planted the garden at the plot in early Spring, I still planned on gardening with my sister. Then, she went and MOVED, LOL, but I was still planning on sharing with someone. The woman came out once, and we planned on what we were going to plant, and I bought everything that we had decided on, and then I never saw her again. So I ended up planting things a little differently than if I had been doing it on my own, but still, I didn't really have a real "plan." I grew tomatoes, beans, eggplant, peppers, and broccoli. I planted, but failed at actually growing, sweet potatoes, zucchini, corn, and peas (they are conspiring against me, I think). Oh, I also failed to get any beans after the first planting. I planned to plant spinach as a fall crop, but I didn't do that either.
I have a pretty ambitious plan for 2011- I'll be expanding at home from 2 beds to 6 beds. I would have 7, but one of the original beds has now become the compost pile. (I'm so proud of myself for having a compost pile. I was all worried that it was going to be complicated, and it is, uh, NOT. LOL) There will be a bed for cooking herbs, and two beds in the front for medicinal herbs (these are already dug, but they have perennials & shrubs right now), a bed for strawberries, and two beds for salad stuff - spinach, chard, carrots, lettuce, greens, etc.) In addition to the beds, I will also be planting two dwarf pear trees and if I can figure out how to do it, grapes. I won't see strawberries this in 2011, and I won't see pears or grapes for at least a few years, but I feel like I want to plant anyway.
For the garden plot, I'm planning tomatoes (of course), beans, cucumbers, peas, broccoli, summer and winter squash, potatoes, and cantaloupe and honeydew melon. I think that is it. Seems like there is something else. But those are the major crops anyway.
Oh, and I'm planning on paying attention to you know, frost dates, and when plants should be planted in my zone, and such this year.
I still plan on buying apples and peaches at farmers market/local orchards, as well as strawberries next year (and I will probably still go after that for one big picking. My goal next year is to can at least 24 half pints of jam, 6 pints of syrup, as well as have a bunch to freeze, and enough to make at least one or two strawberry pies. ).
How about you? What are your garden plans for next year??
Friday, November 5, 2010
October 2010 in Pictures: Autumn is Everywhere
I took a bunch of pictures in the first part of October, and then I thought the camera was broken. I recently discovered that the camera might not be ALL the way dead. But I took pictures in the last part of the month on my phone and the pictures were of mixed quality.
We started the month of October with going to an Autumnal Celebration at the Horticultural Center. This is our third year of attending. The weather was sunny but windy.
We started the month of October with going to an Autumnal Celebration at the Horticultural Center. This is our third year of attending. The weather was sunny but windy.
Super running on top of hay bales.
They always have a bunch of scarecrows on display. We won these scarecrows. The name was "Preschoolers" Perfect for this preschool teacher! 
A picture of all three kids on the hay rack ride. This is one of my favorite all time pictures of the children.
We also went to Starved Rock Park and did a bunch of hiking.
A picture of Super in one of the canyons.
The next weekend, we went to an Apple Orchard and got a BUNCH of apples. I made applesauce and dried apples.
The night before we went to the Apple Orchard, Jelly Bean fell off her bunk bed ladder and broke her wrist. We thought then that she would only have a cast on for three weeks, but we found out today that she will be in a cast for another 4 weeks. At least. :(
Flower is on Student Council this year, and they were on a float for the local high school's homecoming parade. The theme, if you can't guess, is the 70s. Pictures from the 70s of me had much less tie-dye and much more plaid than they show on this float. Flower is in the middle with Peace Sign glasses.
We also went to the University's Homecoming Parade and Football game. We had a great time. The weather was beautiful that weekend - in the lower 80s!
The following weekend, we went to the other Autumnal celebration that we usually go to - this one was at the local Nature Center. It was, if you can't tell from the picture, a little wet that day. Unfortunately for us, it rained the whole time we were there, but it cleared later in the day. We love decorating pumpkins from natural materials instead of carving. This dude is still out on our front porch (as well as the Preschooler scarecrows. And MANY gourds. My kids are all about decorating with gourds this year.)
We finished out the month with Halloween (Halloween pictures will be in a separate post) and a visit down to Springfield. We went to the Illinois Capital and then the Dana-Thomas House. It was cold AND windy that day, but we still had a great time.Tuesday, November 2, 2010
All Souls Day
We don't formally recognize this day in our church, but ever since Christopher, I try and recognize the day and talk to the children about some of the people that have died and what impact they had on our lives.
We talked about how Great Grandma Davis died last year, and how she was the last of their great grandparents that died, and how lucky they were to have had a relationship with one of their great grandparents. We also talked about their other great grandparents.
And we talked a little about Christoper, but we had just done the Walk To Remember on October 30th, so we didn't spend much time talking about him today.
And I spent a moment or two thinking of The Boy, who died 26 years ago this September.
And another moment or two thinking of the other little ones that I lost to miscarriage.
Speaking of the Walk, I have a couple pictures from the day. The Pregnancy/Infant Loss group from the hospital were I delivered Christopher organizes the Walk, and we walk from the hospital to the town amphitheater, and then we let balloons go, and then walk back to the hospital and have a service where people can read poems or thoughts, etc. This year, 169 people attended. It is the highest number of people that have attended the walk. Which made me mostly sad. :(
We talked about how Great Grandma Davis died last year, and how she was the last of their great grandparents that died, and how lucky they were to have had a relationship with one of their great grandparents. We also talked about their other great grandparents.
And we talked a little about Christoper, but we had just done the Walk To Remember on October 30th, so we didn't spend much time talking about him today.
And I spent a moment or two thinking of The Boy, who died 26 years ago this September.
And another moment or two thinking of the other little ones that I lost to miscarriage.
Speaking of the Walk, I have a couple pictures from the day. The Pregnancy/Infant Loss group from the hospital were I delivered Christopher organizes the Walk, and we walk from the hospital to the town amphitheater, and then we let balloons go, and then walk back to the hospital and have a service where people can read poems or thoughts, etc. This year, 169 people attended. It is the highest number of people that have attended the walk. Which made me mostly sad. :(
All 3 children with their balloons
Their signs on their backs
Flower with her balloon
Jelly Bean blowing a kiss to Christopher
Super with his balloon - that is a heart with lots oflittle hearts inside it.
As the balloons were flying up to the sky Monday, November 1, 2010
Daybook: November 1st, 2010
Outside My Window... it is bright and sunny, but cool. And windy. I wore my "new to me" windbreaker today when I went out.
I am thinking... about how it is already halfway through fall. And how we had a busy but fun weekend.
I am thankful for... health insurance. My last post told of how much I've had to go to the doctor and the hospital and it has been a huge blessing to not have to stress about paying for all of those visits.
From the learning rooms... The preschoolers will be learning about scarecrows, squirrels, Thanksgiving and leaves. Jelly Bean is working on learning about the rise of Islam, marsupials, multiplication, how to write a letter, Missouri, and finishing up The Little Princess.
From the kitchen... I've prepared a few Make-Ahead meals. Not a whole months worth or even two weeks worth, but a few so that I don't have to scramble every night. Which is important now that we have swimming lessons twice a week.
I am going... to the garden tonight to pull the tomato cages. They are going to plow all the gardens under this week. Another gardening season comes to a close.
I am reading... I just finished Hamlet's Blackberry. It was an interesting look at technology over the years.
I am hoping... that my health will improve soon and that I will exercise six days a week this month.
I am hearing... nothing. My computer time is always done during nap/quiet time. Apparently, the dog is taking quiet time seriously too.
Around the house... I cleaned up all the Halloween decorations. I actually don't decorate for Halloween until the day before Halloween because I like to enjoy more fall-type decorations instead.
One of my favorite things... Apples, chocolate, and seeing an old friend. And I got to enjoy all of these things this weekend :)
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week ... I have an appointment with the allergist and Jelly Bean gets her cast off on Friday. Saturday is a busy day with a 5K in the morning, a baby shower in the evening, and a party that evening.
A Picture Thought I'm Sharing ...
Roses from my backyard. The rosebud was a gift about 4 years ago,and truly is the gift that keeps giving. And I love the color.
I am thinking... about how it is already halfway through fall. And how we had a busy but fun weekend.
I am thankful for... health insurance. My last post told of how much I've had to go to the doctor and the hospital and it has been a huge blessing to not have to stress about paying for all of those visits.
From the learning rooms... The preschoolers will be learning about scarecrows, squirrels, Thanksgiving and leaves. Jelly Bean is working on learning about the rise of Islam, marsupials, multiplication, how to write a letter, Missouri, and finishing up The Little Princess.
From the kitchen... I've prepared a few Make-Ahead meals. Not a whole months worth or even two weeks worth, but a few so that I don't have to scramble every night. Which is important now that we have swimming lessons twice a week.
I am going... to the garden tonight to pull the tomato cages. They are going to plow all the gardens under this week. Another gardening season comes to a close.
I am reading... I just finished Hamlet's Blackberry. It was an interesting look at technology over the years.
I am hoping... that my health will improve soon and that I will exercise six days a week this month.
I am hearing... nothing. My computer time is always done during nap/quiet time. Apparently, the dog is taking quiet time seriously too.
Around the house... I cleaned up all the Halloween decorations. I actually don't decorate for Halloween until the day before Halloween because I like to enjoy more fall-type decorations instead.
One of my favorite things... Apples, chocolate, and seeing an old friend. And I got to enjoy all of these things this weekend :)
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week ... I have an appointment with the allergist and Jelly Bean gets her cast off on Friday. Saturday is a busy day with a 5K in the morning, a baby shower in the evening, and a party that evening.
A Picture Thought I'm Sharing ...
Roses from my backyard. The rosebud was a gift about 4 years ago,and truly is the gift that keeps giving. And I love the color.
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